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When High Chancellor Cameron starts using words like ‘swarm’, you know the UK at best has finally sunk to the level of the Daily Fascist. At worst it is turning into an Orwellian nightmare.

The people sat in Calais, a small fraction of the total number of people fleeing wars all over the world that ‘we’ have had a hand in creating either openly or behind the scenes, are simply that – just people. Yet the government and the media choose to term them migrants, and use all kinds of twisted language to imply them a threat to the state. A threat to you!

They are REFUGEES, they have fled their countries in fear of there lives, they have risked their own and often their children’s lives, they ask for nothing but safety and compassion. Were tides turned and you were running in fear of your life, what would you do? How would you like people to treat you?

migrant
[mahy-gruh nt]adjective
1. migrating, especially of people; migratory.noun
2. a person or animal that migrates.
3. Also called migrant worker. a person who moves from place to place to get work, especially a farm laborer who harvests crops seasonally.Origin
1665-75; < Latin migrant- (stem of migrāns), present participle of migrāre.

refugee
[ref-yoo-jee, ref-yoo-jee]noun
1. a person who flees for refuge or safety, especially to a foreign country, as in time of political upheaval, war, etc.
2.political refugee.Origin
1675-85; French réfugié, past participle of réfugier to take refuge.

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If you read this site at all you’ll probably, quite rightly, come to the conclusion that I tend to write for it when I’m in the mood for a rant or to have a pop at someone. This is one of those infrequent times that I’m going to break with that tradition and write something nice!

Having received some cash recently for my birthday and being told to treat myself. I did. To a hat.

I’m not really a hat guy but I do have a favourite baseball cap for the summer. Which, although shading my eyes doesn’t really provide decent protection from the sun, as proved by its use when I walked the length of the Canary Islands in 2012. By the time I arrived home my ears looked more like I’d spent a month in radioactive fallout than indulging in a rather pleasant 400km hike.

This is only a hat I hear you say. No it isn’t, to me it’s a thing of beauty. As I said, I’m not a hat person but for many years (given the climate I live in) I’ve been looking for a wide brimmed hat that;

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I’m sure you come across as nice little harmless old lady in person. But really, you need to learn how to conduct yourself better on Facebook.

It’s no secret that my politics sit somewhere left of Lenin, but I don’t normally mind a bit of political debate with those who’s views are somewhat right of centre. However, coming onto my Facebook page and insulting me and my wife is not acceptable behaviour.

Perhaps I did come back at you a bit harsh initially. But, speaking frankly, suggesting that ISIS would not be a problem if the old witch was still around demonstrated your complete lack of a grasp on reality. This, combined with a quick scan of your profile which included shares of Britain First posts (which I have no doubt will mysteriously disappear when you find this) I couldn’t help myself. As the exchange continued you became increasingly insulting and argumentative. Returning later to delete some posts doesn’t make a difference as you can see now.

Some words of advice for future reference when using Facebook….

1. You live on a small island, and many of Lanzarote’s residents observed your posts. Your views and your behaviour could potentially have an effect on both your holiday rental business, and your husbands business.

2. It’s not wise going off on one on the wall of a stranger to you. If you must, you might want to research them a little better. Had you checked us out you’d have found out we lived in Playa Blanca for 6 years and still have a lot of friends there – hence point one about who was reading your insulting posts.

3. Behaving like a twat and then pulling the ‘I’ve had cancer’ card does not pass as an excuse for being a twat.

4. What’s said can not be unsaid, calling people ‘evil’ and ‘sick’ for having an opinion different to you is not the smartest thing to do.

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Of course, I don’t actually believe that, but it would seem that some people mistakenly think I do? Frankly I’m sick and tired of the ripples caused by the Ice Bucket Challenge nonsense. This is an open letter to the troll who left the (unpublished) vitriolic comment on my sheep picture earlier today.

Help save trolls with our new campaign. Douse yourself with petrol, light a match and then nominate 50 friends to do the same. Oh, hang on, that’s not going to work is it?

It’s all getting very boring – to me anyway. If you want to tip a bucket of cold water on your head and donate to an American charity, one that it would seem from recent reports may be turning out to be quite questionable, go ahead and do it. Or, as people have been doing donate to another charity. That’s fine. It’s your choice. Equally, it is my right, and the right of others to have concerns, be cynical, question it – and more importantly to say NO! To say NO without being pilloried and accused of not caring about charity.

Here’s the rub – I don’t like blowing my own trumpet (much) – but I’ve earned my charity stripes. I’ve raised thousands of Euro in recent years for causes I wanted to support. Not multi-national charities with their unfathomable admin, wages and fund raising spending. Small charities where I knew the money would get to the people who needed it. Small charities where the head of the organisation doesn’t get a pay packet (if they get one at all) worthy of a stock market listed company, where they don’t drive around in a company car or fly business class on the back of the efforts of myself and others. I’ve spent our money doing this, I’ve taken time off work, I’ve trained for months, and it resulted in me doing something to the best of my knowledge nobody else has done. I’m quite proud of myself – and so are my family and friends – the only people who’s opinions matter to me. Your opinion is of no consequence whatsoever – quite probably to anyone – if this is the best way you can find to spend your time. What the fcuk have you done? Tipped a bucket on you head? I bet you haven’t even done that!

Don’t bitch about me, and don’t judge others who want no part of it. Don’t assume because someone hasn’t tipped water on themselves they have done or do nothing. We are lucky enough to live in a part of the world where we have a right to free speech and freedom of choice. I say my piece and I make my choice.

The problem is the chain letter nature of these things. Chain letters imply an obligation, a pressure. I won’t pray for anyone on the strength of a chain letter (I’m an atheist), I won’t send money, or send a card to a terminally ill child – and I’m damn sure I won’t be dead by the end of the week if I don’t pass some stupid thing on to ten of my friends. Nor will I tip a bucket of water on my head!

Chain letters are BAD. Yes, I’m a big – and highly opinionated boy and not shy about voicing my view. But, I can’t help but wonder how many people have felt bullied into this, or as a result of not doing it. Charity is a personal thing. Nobody should donate to a charity they don’t want to – nor should they be obligated via ‘nomination’ to board the next Facebook charity gravy train. If nobody can dare question anything that includes the word ‘charity’ the possibilities for corruption are endless.

If you want to do this stuff, go ahead, whatever your motive. But back the hell off from attacking or criticising people who choose their own path.

..or you could just piss off and peddle your hatred and insecurities anonymously elsewhere. Try Britain First (you’ll fit right in) – they’ve probably already duped you into liking them with their fake charity bullshit!

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I didn’t turn the TV on most of the day yesterday. I’ve been avoiding the news. I knew it would make me angry. Sure enough, I eventually gave in last night. Things were worse than I thought. Lauren Bacall had died too. The media, Facebook and Twitter has become a Hollywood death-fest.

When I first saw the news of the death of Robin Williams I was as shocked as anyone. I have always greatly admired the man, he was hugely talented, very funny, and grossly underrated as a straight actor. I can relate to him in some ways as I’ve suffered from depression, on and off, all my life. But really, the airtime this is getting now is just insane.

He died on a day we saw a paralysed child in Palestine declare that she had dropped her ambition to become a doctor, and that the future she now sees for herself instead is ‘killing Israelis’.

Obviously the loss of Mr Williams is significant, but how is it the world can go into fcuking meltdown on the news of the demise of some individual who happened to be in a few movies and on TV?

Meanwhile the injustices and the murder of the innocent in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine and a hundred other places around the world run alongside, as they do each and every day, and are virtually relegated to the 30 second end of show slot normally reserved for the light and funny story.

To add insults to injury, within minutes of the news of Williams’ death BuzzFeed and its vacuous clones were hammering out link bait posts along the lines ‘The Top 10 Robin Williams Movie Moments’, ‘7 Things Robin Williams Taught Us About Life’, and ‘Wow, I Saw This Robin Williams Clip And Was So Amazed I Fell Off My Chair’ looking to cash in on the demise of a legend.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have a meme to make of an insightful Robin Williams quote, and there’s a very important petition about the mistreatment of goldfish I noticed earlier on Facebook that I must sign.